Wednesday, October 3, 2012

blue jay way.

The music of Galicia has received a lot more exposure as it's become
viewed as part of the Celtic world. But in 1952, when Lomax made these
recordings, there were no such thoughts. However, a simple listen to the
piping on "Muinera De Carballo" or the martial "Alborada de Ournese,"
with its heavy drumming, should be enough to stir familiarity. What is
very different, however, is the vocal work, with its keening female
harmonies, as on "Viene Cargado De Trigo," powered along by the sound of
the tambourine. "Cantar De Vendimia" is choral with male and female
voices, a folk song with liturgical overtones. What sets Lomax apart
from many others making field recordings is his ability to coax a real
performance from the singers or musicians, so they produce something
special -- and that often results in full songs rather than the
fragments that tend to appear on other collections. And that is what
takes this out of the realm of the purely academic. For anyone
interested in Celtic music and the Celtic diaspora, there's plenty of
meat here, tracing similarities in vocal styles and the folk song of "O
Nenino," for instance. Or you can simply revel in some untutored,
unearthly harmonies on "Ay Rosina," with its almost-funereal pace giving
the singers a chance to dig deep into emotion. Whether you listen to
learn or simply for pleasure, there's plenty to enjoy here. - allmusic

absolutely stunning collection of gems recorded by my hero in a faraway land.

ps this is my 175th post by the way. i can't believe i've done so many in such a short amount of time.